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Wiggins says 'malicious' doping report smears his reputation

Bradley Wiggins says he is the subject of a "malicious" attempt to smear his name as he strongly denied accusations from British lawmakers that he used banned substances to enhance his performance while preparing to win the 2012 Tour de France

Wiggins says 'malicious' doping report smears his reputation

FILE - In this Sunday, June 7, 2015 file photo Britain's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates breaking the UCI Hour Record at the Olympic Velodrome in Lee Valley Velopark, London. Bradley Wiggins used a banned powerful corticosteroid to enhance his performance while preparing to win the Tour de France in 2012, a British parliamentary committee said in a doping investigation report that accuses Team Sky of crossing an "ethical line" after preaching zero tolerance. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)(Photo: The Associated Press)

LONDON (AP) — Bradley Wiggins says he is the subject of a "malicious" attempt to smear his name as he strongly denied accusations from British lawmakers that he used banned substances to enhance his performance while preparing to win the 2012 Tour de France.

"Not at any time during my career did we cross the ethical line" while riding for Team Sky, Wiggins said in an interview with the BBC in a passionate defense of his reputation.

A British parliamentary committee said in a doping investigation report, published on Monday, that evidence showed Team Sky sought a therapeutic use exemption for Wiggins to take triamcinolone "not to treat medical need but to improve his power to weight ratio."

Wiggins says "it wasn't a medication that was abused in order to gain an advantage," but instead one to treat a medical condition — asthma — that he said he was diagnosed with in 2003.

"This is malicious. This is someone trying to smear me," Wiggins said. "These allegations (are) the worst thing to be accused of. ... We're not dealing in a legal system. I'd have more rights if I'd murdered someone."

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